Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hat holding or storing devices. More specifically, the present invention describes a pair of arms pivotally secured to a housing at a first end and having gripping members at a second end. The gripping members are adapted to hold the brim of one or more baseball hats therebetween so as to hold the hats while retaining the shape of the brims. A securing means comprising a loop disposed around the arms can be used to secure the holding device in a closed configuration for holding the brim of one or more hats. The hat holding device further comprises a hook pivotally connected to the housing for hanging the device on a rod or other similar object.
Many people own and wear a variety of baseball style caps or hats. Baseball hats commonly include logos thereon and display a sports team's colors and emblems. People wear baseball caps for various purposes, including showing support for their favorite sports team or college. Alternatively, people may own baseball caps for functional purposes such as blocking out the sun while outdoors. Others may simply wear a baseball hat as a fashion accessory.
Many people bend the brim of a baseball cap so that it is curved. People may prefer the appearance of a curved brim, or bend the brim in order to better block the sun. However, when a baseball hat is placed in a suitcase with other clothes and personal belongings, or is otherwise placed in a bag for traveling, the brim can bend or flatten and lose the curved shape desired by the user. Further, without an organizer or holding device, a person may lose or misplace his or her baseball hats. While devices are known in the art that disclose hat hangers for storing baseball hats in a contained unit, these organizers consume a significant amount of space and are not well suited for travel. Thus, a portable hat holding device that can be used to store a number of baseball caps is desired.
The present invention describes a hat holding device comprising a pair of arcuate arms pivotally secured at a first end to a housing, and adapted to rotate towards or apart from one another. The second ends of the arcuate arms comprise gripping members having surfaces that face one another such that the brims of one or more baseball caps can be secured therebetween. The holding device can be arranged in an open configuration for insertion of hats, and can be secured in a closed configuration for holding and storing the hats. A securing means is provided and comprises a loop disposed around the pair of arms. The securing means can move along the length of the arms, and as the securing means moves toward the gripping members, the securing means forces the pair of arms, and thus the gripping members, towards one another. The arms further comprise a plurality of ridges thereon that help to maintain the securing means in a particular position along the length of the arms. The hat holding device also includes a hook pivotally secured to the housing that is used to hang the hat holding device on a closet rod or similar object.
Description of the Prior Art
Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that relate to hat racks and hat storage devices. These include devices that have been patented and published in patent application publications. These devices generally relate to hat holding racks adapted to store multiple hats thereon. The following is a list of devices deemed most relevant to the present disclosure, which are herein described for the purposes of highlighting and differentiating the unique aspects of the present invention, and further highlighting the drawbacks existing in the prior art.
One such prior art device is U.S. Pat. No. 6,892,894 to Aiken which discloses a cap rack for storing baseball caps comprising a base having a channel with a plurality of slots therein for receiving cap supports. The cap supports comprise hemispherical supports for retaining the soft-head component of a baseball cap, and a rod section for securing to the channel. The cap rack can be disposed on a wall or similar vertical surface or can be arranged on a horizontal surface. Thus, Aiken fails to disclose a cap support device having a pair of opposing gripping members for securing a plurality of hats therebetween in a stacked orientation. Further, the device of Aiken is not well suited for travel or storage in a suitcase.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,063 to Fricano discloses a hat hanger and press having gripping members that are pivotally connected by a spring mechanism. The brim or visor of a cap can be placed between the gripping members and the spring mechanism presses the gripping members against the brim. The gripping members can be curved such that the gripping members can be used to press the brim of the cap into the desired shape. Thus, Fricano does not disclose a hat holding device comprising a pair of arms each having a gripping member thereon that can be secured around multiple hats by means of a securing mechanism comprising a loop disposed around the arms.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,941 to Bastiaansen discloses a hat rack for holding baseball hats that holds the hats such that the front portion of each hat is visible. The device comprises an elongated strip or baseplate having a plurality of clamps extending outward therefrom. The clamps comprise a pair of opposed fingers that converge such that the soft head covering of the hat can be secured therebetween. Bastiaansen does not disclose a hat support device that can hold multiple hats in a stacked orientation between a pair of gripping members. Further, the device disclosed by Bastiaansen is adapted to be mounted to a wall or other surface and is not well suited for travel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,782 to Hale et al. discloses a baseball cap shaping and drying support. The device comprises a vertical post disposed on a curved base support, and wherein a clip is arranged on the vertical post. The crown of the baseball cap can be positioned on the base such that the bill of the cap is oriented vertically, and the bill can be secured within the clip on the vertical post. In this position, the crown of the cap is shaped by the base support while the hat is drying. Thus, Hale et al. fails to disclose a hat holding device capable of holding a plurality of hats between a pair of gripping members.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,837 to Lema discloses a hat rack comprising a vertical rod having rack sections attached to the vertical rod at intervals and which extend outward therefrom. Each rack section is adapted to store a single cap. Each rack section includes two rods that extend from the vertical rod at angles so as to form a triangular cap support, wherein the two rods are connected by a cross bar for added support. The ends of the rods have upwardly turned ends to capture the brim of a cap placed on the rods in order to maintain the position of the cap on the rack section. Thus, Lema discloses a vertical hat rack with multiple sections for holding individual hats, and does not disclose a pair of gripping members for holding a plurality of hats therebetween.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,112,909 to Moseley discloses a rack for storing baseball hats having an elongated base with attachment rods extending therefrom, and wherein each attachment rod has a cap support on an end thereof. The cap supports have hemispherical shapes sized to securely hold a cap thereon. The base can be disposed in a vertical or a horizontal orientation. Thus, Moseley describes a baseball cap support having a plurality of rods on which hats can be disposed, and Moseley does not disclose a portable device that can be used to maintain the shape of the brims of one or more hats.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 7,040,517 to Swanson discloses a hat hanger comprising an elongated cord having a hook at one end that can be secured on a closet rod or similar structure. A plurality of attachment cords are disposed along the elongated cord and each attachment cord is used to secure a baseball hat thereon. The device is able to be stored within a suitcase and can be suspended in a vertical orientation. However, Swanson fails to disclose a hat holding device that can secure the brims of one or more hats in a stacked configuration while retaining the shape of the brims of the hats.
These prior art devices have several known drawbacks. Many devices in the prior art disclose racks or supports having a variety of hooks or clamps for securing hats thereon. These devices are adapted to be mounted on a wall or placed on a table surface and consume a significant amount of space thereon. Thus, these devices are not well suited for travel and cannot easily be placed in a suitcase or backpack. Further, the prior art discloses devices having hooks or rods on which a hat can be placed. However, these devices do not help to maintain the curved shape of the brim and simply provide a place on which a hat can be disposed. Thus, a portable hat holding device that can hold multiple hats while maintaining the curvature of their brims is desired.
In light of the devices disclosed in the prior art, it is submitted that the present invention substantially diverges in design elements from the prior art and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing hat holding devices. In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.